The Color Of Money

"The Color of Money" may be Martin Scorsese’s weakest films, but that’s not to say it isn’t worth watching. The master goes commercial for this sequel to "The Hustler," following Paul Newman’s Fast Eddie as a late-in-life crisis inspires him to get back on the road, and eventually, back to the pool tables. But it’s Tom Cruise who steals the film, as Eddie’s protégé: swinging pool cues as if they were battle staffs, he plays his character with the boyish exuberance of a pre-teen enamored by getting to hang out with all the grown-ups. There’s always been a sense of wonder to the way Cruise looks at things in his movies, to his characters, and that singular feeling starts here.

And while it’s one of my least favorite Scorsese efforts, all his trademark flourishes are here and accounted for: the great diegetic soundtrack, the moments of introspection (the introduction here may be the film’s highlight,) and the primal, almost combative sense of romanticism. And God knows some of these compositions, like one take that tracks endlessly around a pool table, back-and-forth, are striking at worst and unmatched at best. Sure - it’s commercial, crowd-pleasing, and pretty lightweight. But it’s still a Scorsese.

Unfortunately, this anniversary Blu-ray offers nothing in the way of special features. Scorsese rarely does commentary tracks, but when he does - like on "Taxi Driver" - they demand a viewing, so it’s a shame not to get one here. Still, "The Color of Money" is surely a must for Scorsese-obsessives like myself- even if the disappointments outweigh the occasional moments of breakthrough artistry.